Holistic Approach to Skincare

For years, the collective consensus on having clear, youthful skin depended on which topical skincare products you were using. Now, people are becoming hip to the idea that skin health is largely dependent on what you put in your body. Here are my tips for keeping your skin radiant from the inside out.

Drink lots of water

The general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day (150lbs=75 ounces of water). I suggest to my patients to drink two cups of water as the first thing they do when they wake up. Your digestive enzymes have not been stimulated yet, so this is the perfect time to hydrate your system.

Limit Sugar and Dairy intake (and greasy foods!)

You are what you eat, or rather, you look like what you eat! I’m sure we can all remember hearing as teenagers, “Don’t eat pizza! It’ll give you acne.” Yup, all that grease and dairy is not doing your skin any favors. I, personally, get dermatitis around my mouth whenever I have cow’s milk dairy. Not fun!! Sugar is one of the most inflammatory foods, and chronic inflammation creates enzymes that break down your skin’s natural collage and elastin.

Pass on the alcohol

Over a decade ago, I remember reading somewhere that Jennifer Lopez does not drink ANY alcohol to keep her skin looking radiant. At the time, I thought that was so extreme and overkill. But having cut out alcohol from my life the past several years, I’ve noticed a big difference in my skin. Even a few drinks per week can make your skin look puffy and drawn.

Supplement with Collagen and Vitamin C

Collagen is found in your skin’s connective tissue and decreases significantly as we age. Vitamin C assists in collagen synthesis and is also a powerful antioxidant. Supplement with these two each day and you’ll see changes within a couple months. I am a fan ofVital Protein’s Collagen.

Dry Brush

Dry brushing exfoliates, removes dead skin, stimulates the flow of lymph, and helps improve circulation. It is best to drybrush in the morning, versus right before bed, because it can be slightly energizing. Start by brushing at your feet and move towards your heart. Then, move to your hands and up your arms to your heart.

Use skincare products that are free of harmful chemicals

I could make your head spin with a list a hundred items long of things you should avoid in your skincare products, but instead I’m going to let you in on my go-to tool for choosing safe products: www.ewg.org/skindeep . The Environmental Watch Group has this fabulous website called Skin Deep. They have gone through thousands of skin, beauty, and hair products and rated them based on the safety of their ingredients.

Exfoliate

I am almost embarrassed to say, but my go-to exfoliant is…baking soda! Once per week, I sprinkle a little in my hands with water, and gently exfoliate my face. Makes your skin oh-so-soft. Avoid if you are normally sensitive to baking soda. I likeAlba Botanica exfoliant scrubfor body.

Get your sweat on

Sweating is one of our bodies natural detoxifying methods. Not everyone has time, or the energy, for a sweat inducing workout. Hanging out in a sauna for 20 minutes once per week is a great alternative.

Beauty Sleep

“You look tired!” Don’t you love hearing that? Not! Lack of sleep shows up in our skin making it dull and less taught. Aim for 8 hours of restful sleep per night.

Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment.